Tommy Odetto Brenner Brewing Company Milwaukee Wisconsin

By Staci Amend
What is a Bay area boy doing in Milwaukee? That would be Tommy Odetto from Fairfax, California who flew into town for his close friend’s birthday celebration where he sat in for a set with the band “Smells Like Dave Grohl” (SLDG) Chicago’s premiere tribute band to all things Dave Grohl. Along with singer, Bob Zimmerman, Guitarists Dominic Mikol, Chris Meyer, Bassist Dan Avicola, and drummer Ben Cleveland, Odetto performed guest guitar on some blistering Foo Fighter and Nirvana songs and also had the chance to unveil some of his own original material songs like “Alone in the Fire” available on ITunes and spotify and YouTube.

“Runaway” is to be recorded this spring at the famous 606 studio in Northridge, CA with Barret Jones set to produce. There has been a GoFundMe campaign to get him there to fulfill a lifelong dream for the 28 year old.

Above photo credit Richard W. Chapman

Odetto has been playing in the Bay area and LA area for a few years and has been building a reputation as an up and coming guitar player whose influences are clearly heard in his playing from Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, while a smoking version of Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile” gave a chance to show off his sharp lead skills and vocals. Tommy had the chance to play with his hero Dave Grohl at Conejo Valley Days in Thousand Oaks, CA last May when after his own set he was called onstage by Grohl to join Taylor Hawkins‘ side band Chevy Metal for a killer version of “Miss You”.

Odetto has made quite a name for himself playing places such as San Francisco’s “The Boom Boom Room” all the way to The Maui Sugar Mill Saloon and Red Balls Rock and Roll Pizzeria and is slated to play Conejo Valley Days again this May.

CVD PHOTOS: CHUCK WALKER

Odetto’s dream to record at 606 this Spring is getting closer with the help of social media and the 606ers via GoFundMe.